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Saturday, August 19, 2017

Home. Nyngan to Canberra. Aug 18th

Last breakfast - Nyngan

531km, 5 hours 56 ride time. 8:30am depart Nyngan - 4:15pm arrive home. A long day made longer by the weather. Fresh to strong gusty cold winds from the south and west were a continual struggle, particularly on exposed sections of the route. Low scudding cloud with occasional showers. I was grateful for my heated grips and the multiple layers of clothing.

Narromine for coffee and second breakfast, then the back road to Tomingley on the Newell Highway. Parkes for coffee and sandwich and to don wet weather gear in anticipation of the predicted showers ahead. The back road to Cowra via Eugowra and Gooloogong through the Lachlan River Valley. With the intermittent cloud cover, bright westering afternoon sun and scattered showers creating rainbows and a quiet road this section was a highlight of the ride. Cowra for fuel and afternoon coffee enjoyed as a squall line and showers passed thru. On to Boorowa and another magic part of the ride as through the higher sections of the road the cloud became pockets of mist and rainbows followed me on my left.

The final stretch through Murrumbateman was the toughest. A large squall line with strong winds combined with the Friday afternoon traffic exodus from Canberra and my increasing weariness made the last 30km feel interminable. Still I made it safely home, tired but satisfied after an epic and memorable ride.